Ilfracombe teenager wins national photography competition

Talented Ilfracombe teenager Amelie Mitchell has won first place in the senior category of this year's Rotary Young Photographer Competition.

This year’s competition, themed ‘Rebuilding,’ invited participants to reflect on the concept of restoring lives and communities through their art.

Amelie’s winning photograph features a powerful portrait of her mother, using light and shadow to illustrate both personal struggle and hope for the future. 

Her entry was praised for its emotional resonance and technical execution, embodying the competition’s theme with profound insight.

The national final, sponsored by Jessops and judged by award-winning fine art documentary photographer Aaron Yeandle, showcased a range of impressive work from young photographers aged 14 to 17. 

Mr Yeandle commented: “I have really enjoyed looking at all of these amazing images and it has been a real challenge to pick one winner for each of the categories.”

Amelie, who was sponsored by Ilfracombe Rotary, explained how her photograph captures her mother’s journey of overcoming a challenging period.

She said: “They show her battle with rebuilding her once broken mental state, which was ​destroyed by her powerful emotions.

“One of the edits which has a brick wall in the background shows her mind ​mimicking the broken wall, which is in the process of being repaired. It shows the ​promise of a better future and how there are better days ahead.”